League, Corporate America Pledge $200,000 in Tornado Aid

In separate actions aimed at providing financial relief to Alabama victims of the April 27 tornadoes, Corporate America Credit Union and the foundation for the League of Southeastern Credit Unions pledged $200,000 in matched-aid Wednesday.

These were largest grants so far among industry groups to assist victims of the killer tornadoes that swept seven southeastern states, hitting Alabama the hardest.

In a statement, Thomas Bonds, president/CEO of Corporate America, the Alabama corporate, said it would be matching CU contributions up to a maximum of $100,000 directed toward employees, members and their families. The contributions, said Bonds, would demonstrate that the industry “wants to help” all it can.

Similarly, the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation said it, too, is setting up a $100,000 matching program with donations directed to CUAid, the online vehicle set up by the National Credit Union Foundation to process contributions. An NCUA spokesman said its national tornado relief fund has now topped $65,000.

In its statement, the Southeast Foundation’s chairman, Joe McGee, noted that the storms were so powerful “that two weeks later there are still credit unions and credit union staff that need assistance.”

“We’re extremely thankful that NCUF and our peer credit unions have risen to the occasion to aid in the disaster relief efforts,” said McGee.

Apart from the matching gesture, SECUF said it will be offering a league chapter community project up to $10,000. “This money will help chapters finish projects in their respective areas,” said SECUF. The foundation also announced a $25,000 donation to Red Cross of Alabama to aid the many residents displaced during the storm.

Corporate America, based in Irondale, Ala, noted it was acting in light of the several CUs principally in Tuscaloosa, Rainsville, Cullman, Huntsville and other cities that did suffer damage or where employees or members lost homes and/or cars during the April 27 outbreak.